At one time, it was fondly known as the "family jewels." At airport security today, those jewels are treated like junk. In a cellphone video given big-screen magic by the US media, a California man filmed what was supposed to be a routine crotch-grabbing. At the new "enhanced pat-down" stage, a male security employee relays the intimate details of what he is about to perform on the passenger. That includes "passing his palms up the inner thigh." To this inviting prospect, the man retorted: "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested." The USA's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has increased airport security procedures, demanded everyone comply, and then promised less invasive procedures... though not yet. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she wouldn't do it. She, of course, also doesn't have to. But many others felt the same way.
One man last week refused to go through the full-body scanners, which take an X-ray photo of your body, including your bodily jewels. He consented to the alternative-a full-body pat-down-but didn't anticipate a "groin check." He said no. He was barred from boarding the aircraft and was escorted from the screening area. He was then told he couldn't leave the airport at all without finishing the screening process. If he did, he'd be fined US$11,000. Last month, an ABC News employee travelling through Newark, where Trinis land every Saturday, said she was "humiliated" (enough to report it to her big media boss) when an officer reached inside her panties "and felt her way around." The head of the TSA admitted that, at least in this case, TSA employees "went too far."
Flying was never this exciting.
Terrorists ahead?
But is that really the only instance where the TSA has gone too far?
The TSA was created in late 2001 to increase transportation security in the US. Within a year, it grew from 13 employees to 65,000. Over the past decade, it has multiplied passenger and cargo screening measures. Because it was given such a sweeping mandate by the world's most powerful country, all other countries were expected to follow suit. And they did. Airports even in the tiniest developing countries have increased security even beyond what even the largest US airports offer. In Barbados, my confiscated carry-on items had previously passed through seven major US airports. Piarco is the only airport I know where all of your luggage can be inspected-by hand-before you even check in. There's even an additional carry-on inspection between the security area and your gate.
A sign along the Uriah Butler Highway proudly announces that Piarco is "back at Category One status!" Now we know what it took to get there. Indeed, for nine years, the TSA has acted like a god-omnipresent and yet faceless. It instils as much fear as reassurance in people, has an increasing list of commandments, and expects all to follow without question. Don't follow and you'll have your property trashed, get fined or not fly at all. Its last measure and implementation have undoubtedly made this clear. But what reassurance, confidence and trust can we really have? For such a massive, high-tech and powerful organisation, it seems to be a bit dim when compared to the under-educated misfits who attempt to carry out attacks. It was only after the "shoe bomber" of 2001 that we had to take off our shoes. It was only after the "underwear bomber" of 2009 that we had to have our junk groped. It was only after the printer-cartridge bombs of 2010 that larger toners were banned.
Focus on perpetrators
This is not to say that airport and cargo security must be disregarded. But there are good ways and bad ways of doing things. The TSA clearly doesn't know the difference. It forces people to comply in this climate of fear which it, itself, is perpetrating with directive after unquestioned directive. It also seems that terrorists are a step ahead; the attempted attack needs to transpire before its counter-measures are implemented. And, finally, the US government should focus more on looking for potential perpetrators rather than intrusively scrutinising everybody. There is tremendous cost associated with all of this security, which is partly why airport taxes are exorbitant. And spending immoderate amounts of time in the airports versus the aircraft is a strain on everyone involved. Passengers should not feel like suspects: anxious, weary, scared and uncertain. There was a time when flying was glamorous, pleasurable and exciting. Now, it's really just about long lines, more money, military instructions, and a stranger grabbing your junk.